India

General information

IATA Area : 3

Capital : Delhi (DEL).

Local Time : GMT + 5.30

Country Code : +91

Local Currency : Indian Rupee (INR).

Customs working hours in Mumbai are Monday to Saturday (except every 2nd Saturday of the month) 1000-2200hours.Clearance outside customs hours and on holidays possible for life saving drugs/devices, perishables, livestock and human remains/ashes, news reel and press material.

Export cargo is cleared beyond customs hours and on second Saturdays, Sundays and Public holidays on paying Merchants Over Time (MOT) with prior Customs permission.

Documentary Requirements

Commercial Consignments.

Commercial invoices containing, number of import license, country of origin, specific description of goods ,customs tariff numbers, CIF –value (if no CIF –prices in invoice, specification of the transportation charge must be attached otherwise Indian Customs increase the dutiable invoice amount by 10% )

Import license, (only granted to register importers) required for all imports, except, samples up to INR 500.00 advertising material and gifts up to INR 500.00, replacement goods gratuitously supplied. Only a small number of articles are failing under the Open General License.

Certificate of Origin, required only if the goods arrive from places other than the country of origin cannot be identified by the goods themselves. The certificate must be signed and visaed by the Chamber of Commerce or an Indian consulate.

Packing list required for consignments of more than 1 package.

As per customs public notice No. 36/2004 dated 25/10/2004, w.e.f 01 November 2004 Phytosanitary certificate is mandatory for packaging materials of imported goods as per Plant Quarantine Regulations 2003.

Restrictions

Live animals: Health Certificate

Dogs: Acceptable for carriage if shipper submits evidence that consignee has obtained Import license. However, pet dogs can be cleared at Mumbai on baggage form without Import license, provided the value of the pet dog comes within the free baggage allowance of INR 1000.00.The health certificate must be issued within 10 days of departure from boarding station stating that the pet is free from Aujeszky’s disease and Leptospira leterchasmorrhagica and that the pet was also negative on tuberculin test.

Also required: Rabies inoculation Certificate which is not less than one month and not more than 12 months old.

Monkeys: including anthropoids, such as gibbons, orang-utans, chimpanzees and gorillas, all when originating from non-epidemic yellow fever areas, Health certificate stating that animals were found free from any disease upon departure and have not been in any yellow fever endemic areas.

Prohibited: Monkeys or apes from yellow fever endemic areas.

Plants and plant materials:

(Including packing thereof) may only be imported via Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai, unless otherwise stated. Inspection upon arrival and - if necessary –fumigation or other treatment (for rubber seeds only at Chennai or Mumbai).Health Certificate, import permit from Directorate of Plant Protection, quarantine and storage, Ajmeri Gate, Delhi or from one of the plant quarantine and Fumigation stations. Permit not required for ginned cotton samples weighing 20lbs. (9.07 kg) or less if imported via Chennai or Mumbai and fruits and vegetables from Afghanistan if fumigated at Amritsar airport .All imports of live plants and plant material by land, sea or air shall be accompanied by a Phytosanitary certificate issued by the appropriate authority in the country of origin in the internationally recognized form, indicating that the consignment is free from injurious insects, pests/plant diseases. However, plants infested with live intended for the production of these insects additional certificate from plant protection Advisor to the Government of India or the competent research institute must state purpose of importation.

Arms, ammunition and explosives.

Import license to be obtained on arrival if consignment contains a reasonable quantity and is the property of an individual; import of firearms as gift will be allowed only from blood relations, who have been living abroad continuously for a period of not less than 2 years. For this purpose, blood relations will cover only “father, mother, wife, husband, son, daughter, or real brother or sister” of the applicant. In all other cases Import license must be obtained prior to arrival.

NOC of Police Commissioner to be obtained.

Human Remains.

Death Certificate from authority at origin, stating clearly cause of death, signed by Indian Diplomatic Representative.

On arrival of Human Remains local police clearance required to be taken.

Translation in English of above certificates in case language other than English.

Cancelled Original passports.

Prohibitions

General:

For a complete list of prohibited goods, shipper should contact the local Indian Diplomatic Authorities.